Mark Richt says expectations are high at Georgia despite last year's record

July 21, 2011|By Rachel George, Orlando Sentinel

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The questions suggested more doubt than optimism.

After a 6-7 season, why are expectations so high, Mark Richt was asked. With the departure of two runnings backs this offseason, is Richt concerned about depth at a position where he will most likely start a true freshman?

Does the veteran coach consider his job in jeopardy?

The answers suggested that Richt isn't buying into the speculation that he's on the hot seat if Georgia doesn't turn things around this season.

"I know if you walk into Butts-Mehre Building, there's not one sense of doom or gloom," he said at SEC Media Days on Thursday. "There's only excitement. … The expectations are just as high as they've ever been going into a season."

Those expectations come off Georgia's worst season during Richt's tenure and first losing season since 1996. Heading into his 11th year, Richt and the Bulldogs are far from the two SEC championships they've claimed during his tenure.

Georgia has the SEC's top quarterback in Aaron Murray, who the coaches voted to the All-SEC preseason team after he passed for more than 3,000 yards as a redshirt freshman. But the Bulldogs lack depth at running back after Washaun Ealey decided to transfer and Caleb King was ruled academically ineligible.

That leaves freshman Isaiah Crowell, one of the top running backs nationally in the recruiting class. Junior Richard Samuel has moved back to running back from linebacker, and Richt said that leaves Georgia one player shy of where he thought it'd be.

"It definitely hurts a little bit not having one of those veteran guys," Murray said, "but when it comes to talent, we've got all the talent in the world when it comes to running back."

Crowell is part of a recruiting class that Rivals.com ranked fifth in the country last year, one that also had defensive end Ray Drew. He was the top-ranked player at his position by Rivals last year.

Richt cited the close losses from last season as another reason for optimism. Georgia lost four games by a touchdown or less, including an overtime loss to Florida and a 10-6 loss to UCF in the Liberty Bowl.

"We're not getting blown out of the water," he said, "we just didn't win."

The Bulldogs open the season at the Georgia Dome against Boise State and hope to return in December for the SEC Championship Game. A favorable schedule that doesn't include Alabama, LSU or Arkansas has created a sentiment among fans that Richt's job is on the line if the Bulldogs don't approach double-digit wins.

Richt's body of work might keep him safe — he's 96-34 (.738) at Georgia — but he said he's not thinking about a 10-year tenure in a tough conference where coaches don't always get that long.

"It's not difficult if you win nine, 10, 11 a year, win the Eastern Division every other year, win the SEC every three or four years," he said. "It's when you go 6-7, that's when it's a problem. But greater days are coming."